New Screening for Travel

There might someday be a new challenge to pass at the airport. Trained sniffer dogs can accurately detect airport passengers infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19 (Read about "Coronaviruses"), according to new research.

This method of detection is likely to be especially valuable, not only in the early stages of a pandemic when other resources might not yet be available, but also to help contain an ongoing pandemic, suggest the researchers. Preliminary data suggest that dogs can be trained within weeks to detect samples from patients with COVID-19 infection, with a degree of accuracy comparable to that of a standard PCR nose and throat swab test.

The researchers trained 4 dogs to sniff out SARS-CoV-2. Each of the dogs had previously been trained to sniff out illicit drugs or dangerous goods or cancer. (Read about "Cancer: What It Is")

To test the dogs' detection skills, 420 volunteers provided four skin swab samples each. The 4 dogs each sniffed the skin samples from 114 of the volunteers who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on a PCR swab test and from 306 who had tested negative. The samples were randomly presented to each dog over 7 trial sessions.

Overall, the diagnostic accuracy of all samples sniffed was 92 percent.

COVID-19 can cause a range of issues, from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say symptoms can appear days after exposure and include:

• fever
• cough
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• chills
• repeated shaking with chills
• muscle pain
• headache
• sore throat
• new loss of taste or smell
• congestion or runny nose
• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC says it will continue to update this list as it learns more about COVID-19.

If you have any symptoms, do not go into work. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice.

Trouble breathing and /or persistent pain or pressure in the chest indicate an emergency situation and you should seek help. If you or someone around you develops new confusion or inability to arouse that too is a reason to seek care. Bluish lips or face can indicate a low oxygen level and should also be treated as an emergency.

As with other diseases caused by coronaviruses, COVID-19 is believed to spread from person to person through droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

CDC says it is important that people take steps to protect themselves, including:

• Clean your hands often. You should wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important is you have been out in public or if you have just sneezed or coughed. If you don't have access to soap and water, hand sanitizers containing at least 60 percent alcohol can be used. Rub hands with the sanitizer until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
• Used correctly, masks can reduce the inhalation of virus-laden droplets, which can protect the person wearing the mask. Masks can also reduce the emission of virus-laden droplets, which is important so that asymptomatic people do not infect others.
• As soon as you can, CDC says you should get a COVID-19 vaccine. All of the available vaccines have been tested in clinical trials. (Read about "Clinical Studies") The studies show that the vaccines reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, and lower the severity of the disease if you do contract it. Contact your healthcare provider or state health department to learn about your vaccine status.

If you have any symptoms, do not go into work. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice.